MALARIA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 644, 22 October 1909, Page 7

MALARIA.

1 ' WET CULTIVATIONS AND MOSQUITOES. SOURCE OF INFECTION. RESTRICTIONS NEEDED NEAE TOWNS. (By Tclc&raph-Prtse A esoclatlon-Coprrlcli t.l Calcutta, October 20. Tlio Malaria Conference, Eitlmg at Simla, suggests that the Indian .Government should appoint an investigation committoo to co-oper-ato with an organisation in each province. Tho conference ndvisos the restriction of wet cultivation near towns where it is known to be a yJlirce of Anopholes' (laosqoitocs of th< genus Anopheles, a medium of malarial in* fection) and recommends that m&larii trtaly ment be in tho echooU. HOW THE DISEASE IS CONVEYED. MEI'HODS OF FIGHTING MOSQUITOES. ( Malaria 19 convoyed by mosquiiocs of tha' genus Anopheles, henco the eampaip againrt wet cultivations as breeding-places of those ' insoots. Tho parasite that gives nee to tiio' symptoms of malnrm has been found to livol 1 in the body of tho moßquito. In tho first place, tho parasite is,taken into the alimentary canal of the mosquito, passes into tho body cawty of tho ily, and thence into tho salivary, glands, and undergoes ttn important part of' its deiolopmcnt in tho insect. When a motquito bitob a person, it injects a minuto quan- 1, , tity of its saliva into the wound, and the malarial parasite is thus introduced. Tho parasite multiplies in tho blood of tho human being who has boon bitton by the mosquito, so that if tho-patient bo again bitten, and blood suckod from him by another mosqmto, that insect becomes thereafter nn mooalatory agent. Tho mosquito is considered to bo essential to tho CMetonco of tho disease, because it is in tho body of tho Uy that tn important , part of tho series of life-changes of tho para« sito is passed throngh. To mako war on mosquitoes tho best vi ny Iβ to make war on thw biocding places. Coming Nearer Australasia. 0^0,03 ' no Malaria," is the mottefcf' Mr W. J. ttainbpu, F.L.S., tho author of a littlo Australian book on "Mosquitoes, Their Habits and Distribution," Writing from a boulh Pacific standpoint, lie points out that 'our tropical and Bub-tropicat zones aro an important question to us in reppect of mos« quitoes and tropical diseases; and 110 must alto bear in mind that the complotion of the Panama Caiial, now withm eight, will bnnt tho yellow tever areas much closer to Aus-i tralia thau over. .. . swamps, and stagnant pools eliould bo drained off, where there are large 6heela ot water, the surface could bo treated with koiosene, or any oil la fact that mil spread and form a film.... Oil on the waters buriaco is fatal to "wrigglers" and pupae. A littlo kerosene poured into tanks containing drinking water will not harm 1 the latter it it bo drawn oil, as it usually Iβ, lrom tho bottom, by means of a tap." Distribution of Malaria. . ,''*-!, Mr. Eainbow also states that, vrhilo it has not been pro\od that all bpecics of the genus - Anopheles aie responsible for carrying malaria it in found that the distribution of that tonus tallicb \er.v noil with tho chief centres of malaria. Thcso intecte aro only found u fiuampy, msushy localities, and rarely on hinb. , lands. Jn tho Mauritius, fthcrovor malaria, is rampant, Anopheles aro abundant. Tipm parts of bouth America, few of theso lnosouitocs have been collected, but from such fevor t ktnckeu districts as tho West Coast of Africa, tho Malay l'oninwila, the West Indies, and llritish Guiana, Anopheles havo boon collected in numbei-s. Wherever thcso insecU abound ' it has been found that they breed readily in small pools and puddlos, which aro ireauont after rains. In malarial districts wnoue ' epidemics ha\o followed rain, tho breaking-un of toil, and tho building of railways. '.The explanation of tlus is that tho Anopheles &ro allorucd opportunities of breeding in larccr numbers than usual.,. ~,.....,..*,.,.., Parasltdl In ;Aoorlgijitiv'r^;;'-^';l: ,: ' VA .most intorcstirig'facth'ai'Doe'ii'estftbliehed ' -. —that' amongst' abbrigiuos tan"-enormous norcontnge - appearv'tp > contain': malarial-: porasiUs I ii( their • bfood,; although :the;,diseaso: doea not affect them. The intermediary, hosts, thtrofore, harp :n lwaye i plenty |of opportunity, to become iiilccted, and so Uistributo, tho disease to tha stranger thoir/ gates.;, A'.;rccent West Airman traveller attributed his .toveF' l to i ,campihs^6o"me; i nib\e - quarters, and to:.'bth'er 'safeguards,Teuch as jvorking .undtr iai mosquito cuVtaini , , There can ' 'bo littlo dottht^hat,. bo Jong ainatiyos have tins;. fever parasite. rife:, amongst: them, Europeans: mixing with them, , and livins near their be , .subject•lβ'. infection. It, is••■ iiiterostinß:..to .uoto -. thaVi although, as - pointed out. above,, uatires living.ini-malanol .districts, and .haying..the,.',, malarial: ; parasito in their blood,, do not; appear l to suffer much, or. at all (j from fever.itheir; babies and gronuir children do. -'■■-~ - ;.>.•,■ ■■■■-.::...yi-.,..-;